Visual Art Group Magazine NO. 160 / 2022 / ISSUE 1

COMMITTEE

John Cavana ARPS (Chairman) visualart@rps.org

Carol Paes ARPS (Secretary & Newsletter Editor) visualartsec@rps.org

Barry Barker FRPS (Treasurer) visualarttreasurer@rps.org

Mark Deutsch LRPS (Membership Secretary) visualartmembership@rps.org

Wendy Meagher LRPS (Exhibitions Lead & Magazine Co-ordinator) wmeagher@gmail.com

Martyn Pearse (Exhibitions Member) martynpearse@gmail.com

Michael Butterworth LRPS (Group Web Editor) visualartweb@rps.org

Gill Dishart ARPS (Circles Secretary) gill@dishart.plus.com

Michael Kitchingman LRPS (Residential Weekends Co-ordinator) mike.kitch@outlook.com

Bob Bracher ARPS (Committee Member) rpbracher@yahoo.co.uk

Claire Carroll (Committee Member) claire@clairecarrollphotography.com

SUB-GROUP ORGANISERS

Rollright Barry Barker FRPS visualartrollright@rps.org

Northern Mary Crowther ARPS visualartnorth@rps.org

If you are interested in having or organising a Visual Art Sub-Group in your area, please contact: John Cavana ARPS visualart@rps.org

VISUAL ART

Front Cover Image: by David Rutter FRPS

Inside Front Cover Image: by Anna Stevenson FRPS

GUEST EdIToR: Linda Wevill FRPS (lindawevill@gmail.com)

dESIGNER: Paul Mitchell FRPS (paul@pmd-design.co.uk)

Visual Art is The Magazine of the RPS Visual Art Group and is provided as part of the annual subscription of the Group. © 2022 All rights reserved on behalf of the authors. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder. Requests for such permission must be addressed to the Editor. The Royal Photographic Society, RPS Visual Art Group and the Editor accept no liability for any misuse or breach of copyright by a contributor. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Royal Photographic Society or of the Visual Art Group.

Printed by Bishops Printers Ltd., Portsmouth Po6

A View from the Chair

John caVana

aRPS

We have been gradually getting back to normal since late 2021, when the restrictions of the pandemic began to ease and we felt more comfortable about meeting in groups. Now, I’m very pleased to say that there is a lot going on.

A superb weekend in Buxton in october 2021 was followed by a full and entertaining Rollright sub-group day in November. Since then, there have been 2 more Rollright meetings, now organised and led by Barry Barker FRPS and a well attended and excellent residential weekend in Brighton,

organised and led by Mike Kitchingman LRPS and Sally Kitchingman.

In 2021, inspired by an idea from our former chairman, Andreas Klatt ARPS, we launched the annual print exhibition in book form; this was done to avoid possible cancellations of physical exhibitions. After receiving a record number of entries, an excellent ‘coffee table’ book was produced for the Visual Art Group members. It has been well received and we are now showing the square format prints as a physical exhibition. After exhibiting in conjunction with Richmond & Twickenham PS

Editor’s Comments

linda WeVill fRPS

I would especially like to thank our contributors in this edition for not giving up on us. I asked most of them to write articles over eighteen months ago, but, with the uncertainty of the last couple of years and our wonderful square images book, this edition has been put back until now. I hope you enjoy the articles, which show a great variety of approach and style of photography, and that you feel the wait was worthwhile.

Lynne Blount describes herself as an ‘artist’ who uses a camera as her paintbrush. I am sure you will enjoy her very creative images and the description of the journey she made using different techniques to produce her painterly effect. Her images cover a variety of subject matter and her work is continually evolving.

Anna Stevenson is also a creative photographer although her Fellowship submission was in the Contemporary category. She talks about a

photographer’s ‘intent’ when making images and describes the influences on her own photography and the creative journey she has made. Anna also covers a variety of subject matter in her work. Beata Moore does not like to be restricted in her creative journey and embraces both classic mono and colour photography. She has a preference for seascape and waterscape images, but relishes the freedom of expression of capturing and creating an eclectic mix of photographs. She shows us here work from delicate, soft painterly images to strong black and white architectural shots.

david Rutter gained his Fellowship, titled ‘Abstract Simplicity’, during lockdown and he tells us how he came up with the idea and the process he went through in putting the panel together. After gaining a Fellowship, it can be difficult to know where to go from there and david’s response to this is to remind himself why he engages

in April, the prints will be shown in Leamington Spa, Edinburgh, Norfolk and Woodstock, taking us into 2023.

We will shortly issue invitations to members to submit prints for the 2023 exhibitions. Again, the RPS website will provide details of dates and venues.

We look forward to enjoying a bright, productive and fulfilling future in visual art photography and hope that you will enjoy this issue of the VA Magazine. With best wishes

John

with photography and that is ‘principally to create and have fun doing so’.

Vanda Ralevska says that photography for her is all about emotion and the feelings that the surrounding world evokes within her. Here Vanda describes one of her projects that is dear to her heart, the seaside out of season. Most people would steer clear of the coast when the weather is freezing cold and the wind blowing a gale, but Vanda finds it comforting and her passion has led into this long-term photographic project.

Special thanks go to Paul Mitchell for, once again, designing a wonderful magazine for us all to enjoy and many thanks to our contributors for their patience and for such a variety of images they have shared with us. I am sure they are going to inspire and motivate you with your own photography.

Linda

An Experimental Journey

lynne BloUnT

I have learnt to see myself as an ‘artist’ who uses a camera as my paintbrush, rather than as a photographer who captures a scene or a moment in time. My photography journey has been frustrating and fun in equal measure. I often get pictures in my head, like a songwriter may hear a tune emerging. Initially, the gap between what I saw in my imagination and my ability as

a photographer and in post-processing was huge. ‘Jamming’ remained stuck in my head for two years, as I tried desperately to process it. I have approximately one hundred versions, each of which taught me a little more about Photoshop.

‘Jamming’ is, of course, a composite image. It contains two main photographs: one of the saxophonist and the other, a slow shutter speed image of ‘More London’. I have also added several textures photographed by me, with the aim of creating that smoky, yellow jazz club feel.

‘The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.’

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

As my camera skills improved, I started to enjoy the challenge of capturing wildlife in my lens. I sat mesmerised by the arctic terns on the Farne Islands as they danced across the sky. on my return, however, I was disappointed to see so many other photographs almost identical to mine. I felt I had failed to capture the ‘essence’ of these beautiful birds. ‘Artful Tern’ is my attempt to reproduce that ephemeral, fleeting ballet-like movement that had so sparked my imagination. It was created by layering a few textures I shot specifically for this photograph.

Having completed a number of these composite images, I grew tired of sitting at the PC for hours and I began to re-focus my attention on improving my skills with a camera. over the years, I have enjoyed the wonderful paintings of ophelia by artists such as Everett Millais and Edward Burne-Jones and I wanted to create a similar image, using my camera.

A few remaining members of our portrait group gathered expectantly at the end of the day. A bright blue paddling pool was filled with tepid water and our model gingerly positioned herself under the water. A range of different flowers and scoops of pond weed were distributed around her and over her dress. The flowers became waterlogged very quickly, so I began making separate photographs of them to blend in, during post processing. Whilst I did spend some time in Photoshop layering the flowers, I began to realise it was much easier and far more satisfying to create the image

‘Photography deals exquisitely with appearance, but nothing is what it appears to be.’ duane Michals

in my head by setting up a scene, rather than trying to create one with many separate photographs and painstaking cutting and pasting.

It was at this point I became stuck. I couldn’t see how I could bridge the gap between art and photography in a more unique way. I was keen to create a more ‘painterly’ feel to my photographs and was growing tired of the regular insistence that every photograph needed to be sharp.

It was at this time that I came across an article about the ‘Pep Ventosa’ or ‘in the round’ technique. ‘Autumn Red’ was the result of shooting approximately fifty images from different positions around the tree. I processed each separately

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

in Lightroom and then blended and reduced the opacity of each layer in Photoshop. Whilst I was inspired by the more painterly results, I was still spending far too much time staring into my monitor.

I began to research and try out incamera techniques. I experimented with both Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) and Multiple Exposures (MEs). My results were still not inspiring me. Finally, I attended a course run by Valda Bailey and doug Chinnery. With their help, I began to see an experimental route I could embark upon. I have now practically given up all other methods of photography to concentrate and practise these techniques.

ICM and MEs require endless patience and a necessity to re-frame each failure as a learning point. There is no set process to either technique. ICM requires the camera to be moved around in different ways – what works one day will not necessarily be successful the next.

MEs can be even more frustrating as they require the photographer to sit in one place, with one subject, for a long time. In-camera blend modes and various white balance settings need to be manipulated for each exposure until a final image emerges. Whilst I can sometimes make an image that only requires basic RAW processing, like ‘Framed’ or ‘Sunlit Reeds’, I will also blend ICM or ME images together in Photoshop without cutting or pasting. Much of my work is inspired by the nature around me, or by colours, shapes, and textures. Wicken Fen, in Cambridgeshire, is a favourite haunt of mine. I have spent many hours waving my camera around trying to capture the ‘essence’ of the reeds and other foliage beside the waterway.

Captivated by the sensuous curves, the gritty textures and fabulous colours of Henry Moore’s sculptures, and with the permission of the Foundation in Hertfordshire, a friend and I began an absorbing project to re-imagine the sculptures. Each one of the collection, entitled ‘Colours, Curves and Textures’, began as in-camera MEs, or as ICMs, or both. Some have been combined in

Photoshop, others are RAW processed only. They are reproduced here, with the kind permission of the Henry Moore Foundation.

There is an element of serendipity in these techniques that I really enjoy. I am constantly experimenting with the settings and exploring a large range of subject matter, from fast flowing rivers to tree bark. I spend less time using postprocessing software and more time out and about with my camera. I am limited now only by my imagination.

www.lynneblount.com

‘I think it’s important to remember that making art is a process. It is never finished. The occupation itself is one of process, exploration, and experimentation. It is one of questioning and examining.’

Mel Robson

Follow the Creative Itch

anna STeVenSon FRPS

Quite some ago – in the way distant past, pre-Covid – I had a very interesting conversation over lunch at an RPS Visual Art gathering (you remember those?) about abstracts, documentary photography and exhibitions, all of which boiled down to one word: ‘Intent’.

What was the photographer’s intent when taking the photograph – making the image or exhibiting said work?

Now, I’m not one who likes to analyse something that is essentially a ‘visual’ medium. Why do you need to know what the photographer was thinking when the image was taken, or

what their political agenda might be? For me, art has always been a ‘like it’ or ‘don’t like it’ kind of subject. It either speaks to me or it doesn’t. It’s either aesthetically pleasing or it isn’t. However, on an intellectual level, as an artist, I’ve learnt that you do need to think more about your intentions for an image. It helps you achieve what you set out to achieve and, by understanding this, you can repeat the process more easily and thus gain in confidence and competence.

of course, the RPS Associate and Fellowship distinctions positively encourage you to acknowledge your intentions with a ‘Statement of Intent’. My Contemporary Fellowship panel on my feelings about zoos emphasised a pretty obvious intent:

to highlight my belief that ‘despite claims that they are all about conservation I believe zoos are still essentially a 19th century anachronism’. But, by physically writing down my statement, it allowed me to sharpen my thinking and beliefs and hone in on certain images, to refine my selection for a more powerful effect, and, although it was in the Contemporary category, there was a large element of visual art involved in producing the prints.

on the other hand, my creative work using multiple exposure (ME) and intentional camera movement (ICM) has been less tangible when it comes to intent. Maybe, because for me, it is more of an emotional connection and an expression of my own creativity. If I’m honest, to a point, the intent for most of

these images has been to learn my craft, with the emotional connection being secondary. or maybe it is the other way round. It is sometimes difficult to tell with one’s own work. I like the process of ‘making’ an image rather than just taking a photograph and some of the results please me even more.

I say ‘some’, as they are all essentially works in progress. As I develop, so do they. I’d like to produce more abstract work, but I find it a bit of a stretch as I do have a tendency towards realism.

However, it is beginning to dawn on me that I am indeed doing abstract work already, using ME and ICM as a medium. It’s just my work doesn’t always attract the inevitable question of ‘what is it?’. (The human mind does like to be able to put a label on something!)

What I am asked is ‘how did you do that?’.

I use a Canon 5d Mk III (other famous brands are available!). This camera gives me a variety of settings that can be used within the ME window. All the settings (bright, dark, average and additive) affect the style of image and the end result. This is where your intent can suddenly fly out of the window as you

The problem with, or rather the intriguing element of ME, is that it isn’t always possible to say how one achieved a certain image. There are so many variables, not least of which is the equipment.

discover alternatives to what might have been in your mind’s eye. Whilst I can give a basic outline of what the settings do, using that knowledge and being able to anticipate what the resulting multiple image will look like, takes a great deal of practice, trial and error.

I think we are all influenced by the work of those we admire artistically, but I regard ‘copying’ merely as a learning tool or stepping stone. With ME, though, it is impossible to directly copy another’s work even if you wanted to. You can be taught the technicalities and processes involved, but ultimately the resulting image that you present should and will be what speaks to you as an artist. What emerges from all of these influences is a style that becomes your own.

I’ve been influenced by Valda Bailey (of course!) whose images have a very delicate, ethereal quality which I think is beautiful. I find this very difficult to achieve – it turns out this isn’t my natural style. However, with a bit of experimentation with the settings (in particular, the average setting which gives a more subtle flavour to an image) and a bit of perseverance, I can achieve my version of delicate.

I’ve also been influenced by doug Chinnery whose images are very different – often strong, brightly coloured and geometric – a style which comes a bit more naturally to me – but can be equally difficult to achieve.

In practical terms, when making an image, I think it helps to be able to

visualise something in black and white, especially when it comes to overlaying colours. When using either the dark or bright settings in-camera, one needs to know which is going to come out on top. Using the bright setting, means the pixels that are brighter in any of the in-camera layers will show through and obscure the dark ones. Using the dark setting is obviously the opposite. What the eye sees as bright (such as red) may in fact be darker when compared to, say, a vivid green; hence the result can be frustrating and somewhat of a conundrum. So, perseverance is the key.

Shooting in-camera ME images with ICM in RAW has expanded my creativity and given me the facility to ‘construct’ unique images ready for further development using various software applications.

ANNA STEVENSON

The challenges presented by ME and ICM have changed my processing ‘ritual’ and I now use Lightroom, Nik and Photoshop. I have found Lightroom extremely flexible and great for processing ME/ICM images. It allows me to experiment and I find the colour adjustments particularly dynamic. The fact that you can also ‘dehaze’ in Lightroom is a particularly useful tool for ME.

www.annastevensonphotography.com

So, as I get more experienced, I find myself coming back to that word ‘intent’ again. My intention is to follow the creative itch to wherever it takes me.

Creative Freedom

BeaTa MooRe

I have never liked to define my approach to photography in great depths because it feels quite limiting. I enjoy capturing and creating an eclectic mix of photographs and relish the freedom of expression that comes with it. I embrace both, the classic photography with its black and white roots and colour photography, as well as contemporary abstracts firmly anchored in a digital world. My vision is continuously evolving thanks to constant learning and experimentation. I never think about my photography as ‘I have arrived’. It is a creative journey full of twists and turns.

My interest in photography started when I was a child. Growing up, there were always cameras at home and I used to photograph anything and everything. In my teenage years, I developed my first black and white films and the magic of images appearing on paper made me pick up the camera more often.

At first, like many people, I was driven by a simple desire to travel and photograph the views around me. However, over the years, my interest in nature has grown and, as a result

of this passion, I have attained a postgraduate degree in botany. I believe that gaining an intimate knowledge of the natural world helped to show my affinity with nature in my photographs. Colour encapsulates perfectly the harmony of our environment and the character of seasons, so most of my landscapes and nature images are in colour.

Soon into my photographic career, I established a preference for seascapes and waterscapes, but also a fascination with human ingenuity in creating architectural masterpieces. I am particularly drawn to the subtleties of smaller details of landscape and architecture providing me with endless patterns, shapes and textures. I am a keen observer of detail and my close-up photos are mainly taken with a 150mm macro lens; occasionally, I use a 12-24mm lens predominantly for landscapes with dominating foregrounds. However, most of my images are taken with a 70-200mm lens. This lens allows me to flatten the perspective, making the images more dynamic, isolate smaller details of the surrounding world and zoom in on less accessible areas. It also opens up a world of endless patterns and shapes that are hard to notice with wider lenses.

What attracts me to intimate landscapes and patterns is that they are everywhere and, most importantly, they are unique.

I work mainly for three different industries: publishing, stock photography and fine art. My generalist approach to photography suits all three perfectly. The goal for me, however, has always been printed publication – it is the ultimate realisation for me. Cooperating with various publishers has resulted in publishing five coffee table books and two visitor guidebooks. My eighth book, ‘Photographing Surrey and Sussex’ is currently in the design stage, to be published later in the year. Having a book printed is immensely satisfying. I am always full of anxiety and insecurity in the final stages of design and production, but, at the same time, the experience is highly fulfilling.

The classic black and white approach suits two subjects that I love, the sea and architecture. To achieve visually striking black and white images, I concentrate on shadow and light, and on textures and contrast. These create my favourite dramatic noir look, a dominant feature of my ‘Sea Fury’ series. I have spent most of my summer holidays by the sea, so water is the most natural environment for me.

That’s where I feel the most inspired. From the moment I saw the very special image taken by Jean Guichard in 1989, ‘Lighthouse in a Storm at La Jument’, I promised myself that one day I would be taking images of the sea at its worst. Atlantic waves in Portugal, where I travel twice a year, definitely deliver a lot of excitement, but a little bit closer, in Sussex, the Newhaven harbour is a truly special place with crashing waves accompanied by a muffled roar and the muted clatter of pebbles knocking together.

Black and white also suits well my vision of architectural photography. Some places, like Bilbao or Venice, are simply made to be photographed in monochrome. I was sixteen when for the first time I stood on Accademia Bridge looking towards Santa Maria della Salute and thought that it was possibly the most romantic view in the world. It still is, but at present I am more preoccupied with alleys and fast dilapidating

As wonderful as working to an order is, there is nothing better than the

freedom of not working to a brief. Freedom to do exactly what I want photographically is very important to me: freedom to choose my subjects, freedom to evolve that is underpinned by learning and combined with a huge dose of curiosity and endless enthusiasm.

houses, all forgotten by tourists. It is not, however, only old towns and buildings that I am fond of; I embrace with equal passion modern buildings. When metal or bare concrete integrate seamlessly with glass, the results can be truly fascinating, opening up endless possibilities for photography.

Art is about personal expression and the pursuit of photographic creativity and inspiration is obviously different for everyone, but the basis for each of us is the same: to grow. As a result of this need, many artists change their preference of subjects and styles over time. Every day I acquire new knowledge and new skills, so not only do I develop in general, but also my photographs evolve and express my latest personal preference. I avoid using the term ‘style’ in photography, as I find it very restrictive. Also, style lasts so long, before it appears dated. That is why I reject its restrictions and, instead, I concentrate more on series of images. Series are interesting, as they tell a story and allow artists more flexibility, without being pigeonholed.

Nowadays, the line between traditional and contemporary photography thankfully is becoming blurred, and recently I started to seek ways to bring to life my more contemporary work. It is a direct result of years of challenging myself with new photographic and digital techniques and experimentation. While working on my latest abstract series, half of me reaches to the dreamy world of romantic painters and the other half is firmly anchored in a digital world. I like these types of images as they leave room for imagination instead of feeding a more literal scene. Multi exposures,

ICM or blending layers allow me to create images that are not physically accurate but portray the essence of a place.

on occasion I push the boundary of reality by creating total abstracts where subject no longer matters; it is all about light, colour, lines and patterns and an ideal format for such images is a square. It fits better because of its great symmetry, quality of stillness and the rather difficult to explain ‘neatly boxed’ feeling.

I knew very early in life that I wanted to be a photographer as taking pictures made me happy. I never thought though, that photography would enrich my life so much by opening my eyes to the beauty all around.

Simplicity

daVid RUTTeR FRPS

It is well over a year since my work found favour and was awarded Fellowship status, so it is with the benefit of hindsight that I reflect and provide a few words to describe more about my Fellowship work and beyond. It is well documented that you cannot force creativity, and certainly cannot plan to find a subject of sufficient interest and quality for a distinction award from the Royal Photographic Society. It is the combination of persistence, experimentation, enthusiasm and pure luck that subject matter will suddenly appear ‘before your very eyes’, and it is an almost scary manifestation when an idea emerges to dominate your photographic world. Indeed, this was the case for me when I was in the studio back in 2020 and was tormenting A4 sheets of paper to see what I could conjure up, and yet, within just a few shots of curvy paper in subdued light, I knew I had a subject which so enamoured me that I was compelled to put something together.

There were days in the shooting where ideas came thick and fast and I ‘found’ images relatively easily, but then came the days – many, many days – when the creative drought would strike. All I could do was continue along the creative path finding those lines, finding those shadows, moving my paper, moving my lights until ‘eureka’ moments would happen and then I’d be off again like a greyhound from the trap – well, for a few frames anyway.

My Statement of Intent mentions ‘identity with soul through creative technique’ and this refers to the many hours spent with my subject material honing the technique and creating various formats, enabling the appreciation of the simple and basic elements of photography through my visual presentation.

Then came the panel arrangement which was developed with as much personal detachment as possible as I filled my 21 boxes, but then relinquished favourite images because they just did not line up exactly or did not blend nor assist the overall spirit of the panel intention. This had to be done time and time again but, as I rejected each image in turn, I then had a starting idea of what the replacement image was trying to achieve in that panel position.

This was certainly no walk in the park, creating specific images with a relatively limited subject material, so I guess that is where the ‘persistence’ I mentioned earlier came in.

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I am proud to have heard some of my friends say that my Abstract Simplicity panel is the best work I have ever produced and, on the occasions when I can find sufficient objectivity to assess my own work, I find myself agreeing, as it stands as a piece of work that represents a period of my photography that I will never reproduce. But that brings forth a different problem, as I am sure other Fellowship holders have asked themselves over the years: where do I go from here?

However, alongside my own personal photographic projects, I find it more and more satisfying to help other photographers. over the past year, I have become increasingly active in supporting others either within the wide RPS family (in committee and coordinator roles) or outside, through camera clubs or with individual photographers. Through these activities, I find huge satisfaction in helping others to progress and reach higher levels of enjoyment with this wonderful pastime that we all love.

So, what do I enjoy shooting now? I try not to limit my shooting genres and will generally give anything a go, but do find myself reverting to the subjects and styles that I have always enjoyed, which range from detailed table-top close-ups, as per my Abstract Simplicity panel: blurry movement found with intentional camera movement and street work. However, I find it fascinating that photography is always about how light and contrast create such an unending source to work with, no matter what the subject may be. So, whether it is soft and subtle studio light or high contrast sunshine, there always remains a challenge to continue the quest for the next image that must always be better than the last.

Happy shooting.

www.davidrutterphotography.com

Well, my answer was to remind myself why I engage with photography, and that is principally to create and have fun doing so.

I do Like to be Beside the Seaside

Vanda RaleVSka

A day out on the beach? In January? you must be joking!

This is a reaction I quite often hear when getting ready for a trip to the wind-swept seaside on a freezing cold winter morning. It’s not for everybody; however, for me, embracing the weather and heading out no matter the conditions have an alluring charm.

despite having grown up in a landlocked country, I have been fascinated by the sea and shore since my childhood. It started when spending summer holidays with my Mum by the Black Sea in Bulgaria. Swimming in the waves, collecting seashells on the beach, or just listening to the soothing sound of the ebb and flow, have been a constant source of my happiness since.

What started then as a pure fascination and attraction turned into a lifelong passion. Since I discovered photography and then moved to the UK, there hasn’t been any other place I would rather be. I don’t live by the seaside, but here in the UK you are never far away from a beach. So, on those days when I need a good dose of calm and tranquillity, a day trip is always a welcome fix.

With time, the passion turned into a long-term photographic project. After several years of exploring the English seaside throughout the seasons, I realised that I enjoy it most when it is peaceful and quiet – in winter.

Sometimes even on a summer day, as the English summer is not all sunshine and rainbows. You are just as likely to spend a day sheltering from a torrential downpour as you are soaking up the sunrays.

There is a solemn beauty in a deserted beach. The vast spread of waves and sand, the monotonous, senseless, yet unmatched sound when the sea meets the shingle beach, the salty breeze, lone seagulls gliding along the chilling wind. It is so indescribably comforting. It can be grim yet striking, soulful yet evocative. It has an unsurpassed and raw beauty that is wild and at the same time subtle. There is a melancholy about coastal towns out of season. They are like abandoned playgrounds, waiting in hope that their silence will yet again be broken by the happy sounds of music and laughter. It is within this nostalgic feeling of silence and solitude that I find solace. To me, there is nothing better than a bracing walk along a deserted promenade on a bleak, gloomy morning with wintry winds blasting across the sea. The sense of desolation devoid of any distractions and noise, apart from waves crashing against the shore, is what drives me to keep going back. It is a life-affirming affair, filled with comfort and deep quiet.

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

rain. Huddling together outside their beach huts, wrapped up warm, with a nice cup of tea and a cake, ready for rain or shine. decidedly stripping into their swimsuits at any sign of brief sunshine, brave or foolish enough to have a swim in the sea that is rarely warm.

smell and taste of the salty air, the fresh breeze in your hair, understanding the real meaning of ‘sand’ in ‘a sandwich’ and a cheeky seagull thrown in for entertainment.

It comes alive with holidaymakers doggedly erecting their windbreaks, bracing against the fresh sea breeze. Wrestling with parasols and highly uncomfortable deckchairs, determined to catch every attainable ray of sunshine, before it turns into torrential

For many, beach holidays at the English seaside evoke the nostalgia of childhood memories: pretty rows of colourful beach huts, the feeling of sand between the toes, dipping your feet in the sun-warmed waves, the

Seaside fashion ranging from sunburn strap lines, sandals and socks, knotted hankies and Kiss Me Quick hats too – despite being an absolute no-no anywhere else – can nicely complete your English beach look.

Bucket and spade come out of the loft and beaches become building sites

When the summer, as we optimistically like to call it, finally arrives, the English coast goes through a dramatic transformation.

for glorious sandcastles, proud parents competing as to who will build a bigger, better looking and longer lasting one. You can draw hearts in the sand, dig out crabs or bury your family members in the sand and get away with it.

The familiar sound of an ice cream van’s jolly chime gets everyone on to their feet. There is nothing more tempting than a cone of soft-scoop melting in your hand while you are trying to protect it from the everpresent seagulls.

There is a bewildering range of entertainment wherever you are at the seaside. Fairground rides, candyfloss and a stick of rock – mind your teeth when trying to get to see the words in the middle. Amusement arcades with their tantalising chance to win – ah well, never mind, there is always next time! The controversial, yet traditional, Punch and Judy shows always draw crowds and till today they entertain both children and their parents. And let’s not forget about the all-time favourite, donkey rides.

When the late afternoon comes, there is always the chance of a long stroll along the promenade or a pier to the merry

sound of a brass band. You can finish off your day nicely with traditional fish and chips, or treat yourself to delicious whelks, cockles or winkles. did you notice they always taste better at the seaside? Beware of those pesky seagulls though. They will help themselves to your food!

Before you head back home, don’t forget to send a tacky ‘Wish you were here’ postcard.

These are the childhood memories I would have loved to have had. As I wasn’t so lucky to grow up in England, I am making up for it now. I am building those memories with every trip, grateful for being able to discover what a fantastic place the English seaside is –full of character, charm, eccentricities and, most of all, Englishness. despite often being accused of being tatty, grey, windswept and cold.

VANDA RALEVSKA

Later this year, there will be a companion book set coming out dedicated to this project.

www.lenscapespress.uk

POSTAL AND EMAIL PORTFOLIOS

Get even better value from your membership of the Visual Art Group: join a circle. Email circles are free to join, while print circles will cost you no more than postage. Meet new people keen to share their experience, to ask questions and to comment on your photographs. Get a different angle on your work from people who are neither fellow club members, nor your family! Members range from new recruits to very experienced photographers, from people who just want to enjoy their photography with new friends, to people working towards distinctions.

There are print and email circles and we’d welcome a few more members. Join a circle.

To join or ask for more information, just email Gill dishart ARPS (gill@dishart.plus.com)

https://rps.org/groups/visual-art/